Fast Five Is Not a Good Movie, But Its Rio-Dotted Soundtrack Is Worthwhile

Remember when The Fast and the Furious came out in 2001? I recall it being pretty damn watchable--although to be honest I haven't had the guts to go back and see it again to challenge the memory. That said, Fast Five is almost certainly a worse flick. The cars aren't as sexy, the plot's more predictable, and The Rock's teeth-gnashingly bad delivery makes Paul Walker look like he's won more than a couple of Teen Choice Awards.

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But the flick's one winning factor is the gorgeous panoramic shots of Rio de Janeiro, favelas and all, where much of it was set. And accompanying the locale is a score dotted with local music, from tropicália artist Carlinhos Brown to rapper MV Bill. Knowing almost nothing about Rio's rap, the musical accompaniment to Fast Five offered a couple of entry points--none better than Marcelo D2's "Desabofo."

Translating as "relief of tension and anxiety through the expression of repressed thoughts and feelings," the song is a prime example of the MCs trademark sound that augments American hip-hop with Brazilian samba sounds. Shelling out $10 to see Fast Five in theaters may not be a great investment, but spending a little more on A Arte Do Barulho--home to "Desabafo" and 11 other tracks that deal with smoking weed and partying as much as favela struggles--will see far greater returns.